Milwaukee are not a company to sit on its laurels. Where as some companies, not necessarily in our trade, will release a product and simply say, “there you go”, Milwaukee have developed a well earned reputation by pushing boundaries and investing in new technologies.
2023 has been (so far), a prime example of this. With a host of new products released throughout the year, Milwaukee have delivered something for almost everyone – from 12V, 18V to hand tools, workwear and storage solutions.
Lets have a look at some of top Milwaukee tools of the year and what is in the pipeline for 2024…
Milwaukee M18 FPD3 Combi Drill / M18 ONEPD3 ONE-KEY Combi Drill
Announced early in 2023, the release of the M18 FPD3 signalled the long awaited arrival of the fourth generation of their reliable and staple Percussion Drill.
Now…there is a bit of confusion on this in terms of naming, but as previously noted in another hub article, it is the FOURTH generation of the drill itself, but the THIRD generation that includes Milwaukee’s exclusive FUEL Technology.
Incredibly popular as soon as it arrived, along with an equivalent impact driver – the M18 FID3, this handle drill is now a solid part of many tool kits, not only in the UK, but around the world. Its not difficult to see why either when you go through the specs.
With a 5.0Ah battery, it weighs just a little over 2.0kg, and offers an impressive array of features including AUTOSTOP Control mode, compact design and REDLINK PLUS overload protection.
The M18 FPD3 offers one of the fastest drilling and driving experiences on the market today. The drill also includes Milwaukee’s AUTOSTOP control mode which offers enhanced safety for the operator by preventing over-rotation in a bind-up.
AUTOSTOP is an e-clutch system that will only allow a 45° kickback rotation. This means that if the tool hits any resistance within the material its working against, the drill will shut down immediately instead of over-rotating and causing you injury.
Around the middle of the year, Milwaukee announced the M18 ONEPD3 18V FUEL ONE-KEY Brushless Combi Drill which delivers the same spec and results as the FPD3, but also includes One-Key technology for quick and easy online tracking, management and customisation.
Milwaukee M18 FID3 1/4″ Impact Driver / M18 ONEID3 1/4” Impact Driver
At the same time as the aforementioned FPD3 was announced, the accompanying M18 FID3 impact driver popped up.
Suffering with the same confusion over the naming of it, this was just as popular as soon as we got them. Including DRIVE CONTROL and compact enough to fit in to small spaces, this produced an impressive 226Nm with up to 4400Impact Rate.
This is perfect for fitting in to tight spaces. The impact driver includes DRIVE CONTROL that allows the user to shift between one of four different speed and torque settings to maximise job versatility:
Mode 1 for precision work
Mode 2 helps prevent damage to fasteners and material
Mode 3 delivers maximum performance for the toughest applications
Mode 4 is the optimum between precision work and maximum performance and automatically adjusts speed, impacts and torque
Likewise, the M18 ONEID3 is identical to the M18 FID3, but with the addition of on ONE-KEY technology.
Milwaukee M12 BLP-0 12V 56mm Planer
I’ve often been told that all good things come in small packages (read into that however you want to), and this stunning 12V Planer is no exception.
Measuring only 276 x 123 x 97mm, this stunningly compact cordless planer that offers a 56mm planning width and 2mm depth.
The planer drum holds two TCT reversible blades and is capable of running up to 14,000rpm no load speed. This delivers a smooth delivery and consistent results every time.
With a single 4.0Ah battery, the planer can easily cover up to 60m of continuous use at 2mm depth in oak.
With a 17.5mm rebate depth, the planer also includes a dual sided dust port to efficient debris removal on either side of the device. It also has storage for additional blades along with a kick stand on the base that protects materials for accidental damage.
Milwaukee M18 FR12KIT 18V FUEL Brushless 1/2” Router
This has been one of the most eagerly awaited items to come from Milwaukee this year. Not only does it fill a gap in their range, but when looking at other branded routers in a similar class, it vastly out performs them.
The M18 12mm Router is possibly one of the most powerful cutters available producing a performance level that is equal if not better than a corded equivalent with a maximum 2.25 horsepower which produces a variable speed of 12,000 to 25,000rpm no load speed.
On a single charge of a 5.5Ah battery, the router is capable of cutting up to 68m in pine and has the power to tackle the toughest jobs on the site.
The M18 FR12 features a micro-adjust dial to provide accurate adjustments down to 0.4mm. Dual LED lights illuminate the work surface while a spindle lock ensures fast as well as easy bit changes with just one wrench.
Milwaukee M12 FPTR 12V FUEL Brushless Pass Through Ratchet
OK, cards on the table….when I saw this, my first thought was “what is that? Not another ratchet!”
Then I saw it, and I got it. Currently, I don’t think there is anything like this on the market at the moment which not only makes it unique but was also eagerly anticipated.
Instead of having to rely on spanners are manual wrenching, the M12 FPTR allows you to add or remove nuts on a bolt that can be sticking out beyond the capacity of a normal socket. The Pass Through Ratchet lets you utilise pass through sockets up to 15mm.
One of our customers, Alex, left us a review…
“Brilliant product, been waiting for this to come out after seeing it advertised at the Milwaukee expo and it doesn’t disappoint at all! The low profile means it’s able to get into even smaller spaces which is excellent and the pass through sockets are amazing when dealing with threaded rods.”
Milwaukee M12 360IC12 & 360IC32 12V 360 Inspection Cameras
I like these…a lot.
The M12 360IC12 & 360IC32 12V 360 Inspection Cameras will allow you to inspect difficult to reach areas such as between wall panels, behind electronics and more.
The camera features a 720pix resolution that provides incredible quality that is then displayed and a 4.3“ LCD. The screen can be rotated up to 270° so that the user is able to control the position of use.
The 10mm lens is on the end of a 300cm cable giving the user a huge range of scope to see and detect issues with ease as well as providing access to tight spaces.
The camera includes a 3x digital zoom to focus on points of interest while the display can be rotated 180° so that you can easily adjust the perspective.
PACKOUT Workshop Wall Mounted Range
Loved throughout the trade, the PACKOUT storage range is a corner stone within Milwaukee. The detailed and in depth range of connectable tool cases have been just as popular amongst the trade as their power tools.
To further enhance the flexibility of the PACKOUT Range, Milwaukee have been developing and continuously expanding the PACKOUT WORKSHOP Range.
This comprehensive range features everything you need for a complete workshop overhaul, including everything from tool holsters to battery and accessory storage even down to the paper towel holder!
Everything Milwaukee has included in this range is built to their incredibly high specs and designed to withstand all the rigours of workshop life. The Packout Workshop range is fully customisable and modular, you can create a system that is tailored to your workflow and keeps to tools and supplies organised and easily accessible.
Milwaukee BOLT
Announced towards the end of 2022, Milwaukee introduced the work to BOLT – a fully interchangeable accessory system for safety helmets.
With one helmet, you can add visors, face shields, ear defenders and sunshades to protect the back of your neck. The easily attachable system simply lets you clip things in to place to suit the needs of a range of jobs from working on a construction site, garage to landscaping and more.
The Future…Milwaukee FORGE
One of the most exciting revelations that Milwaukee has made recently is the development of REDLithium FORGE batteries for both M18 and MX Fuel tools.
The FORGE batteries introduce stacked battery cells to Milwaukee. If this is sounding familiar, then you’re not wrong… Dewalt have a similar offering in the POWERSTACK 18V battery.
Instead of cylindrical battery cells working in series, the FORGE cells are rectangular allowing for better power usage, faster charging and longer runtimes when compared to similar sized batteries. In fact, it has been quoted that the FORGE batteries have the capacity and performance levels to outdo the 12.0Ah HIGH OUTPUT battery despite being 30% smaller and 40% lighter.
Both the MX Fuel and M18 versions of the batteries will work with tools in those respective range so you won’t need to worry about having to get new tools (unless you’re already tempted by the one’s we’ve already mentioned).
The future for Milwaukee users is looking awesome, and as previously mentioned, Milwaukee are not one to hold back developing new ranges, tools or equipment to cover every part of working on site.
To paraphrase a well known phrase, and as we begin to see the sunset on 2023…
“Red Sky at night, Milwaukee’s delight!”
Have we missed out something? Is there something that you’ve heard about that you’d like to see Milwaukee do? Let us know in the comments below…
2967-20 with 6.0 forge battery is a game changer